International Association for Computing and Philosophy (IACAP)
Conference Theme: "The Computational Turn: Past, Presents, Futures?"
Aarhus University - July 3-5, 2011
http://www.ia-cap.org/IACAP_2011_CFP.pdf

Important dates
Feb 15, 2011: Abstract submission deadline
March 15, 2011: Notification of acceptance
April 15, 2011: Early registration deadline

Organizing Chair
Charles Ess  (Department of Information and Media Studies, Aarhus University)

Program Committee / Comité scientifique
· Tony Beavers (University of Evansville, USA: President, IACAP)
· Philip Brey, Department of Philosophy of Technology and Engineering Science, University of Twente, Netherlands
· Gordana Dodig-Crnkovic, School of Innovation, Design and Engineering, Mälardalen University, Sweden
· Luciano Floridi, University of Hertfordshire and University of Oxford, UK
· Jean-Gabriel Ganascia (Paris VI, Director of Laboratoire d'informatique de Paris)
· Ruth Hagengruber, University of Paderborn, Germany
· Soraj Hongladarom (Philosophy, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand)
· Teresa Numerico (Computer Science, University of Rome)
· Carson Reynolds (Information Science and Technology, University of Tokyo)
· Jean Sallantin, Directeur des Recherche au Laboratoire d'Informatique, de Robotique et de Microélectronique de Montpellier (LIRMM) (LIRMM), France
· Johnny Søraker (Philosophy, Twente, Netherlands)
· Mariarosaria Taddeo (Philosophy, Hertfordshire, UK)
· Jordi Vallverdú, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Philosophy Department, Spain
· Jan van Leeuwn , Universiteit Utrecht, Center for Algorithmic Systems, Center for Philosophy of Computer Science and Lorentz Fellow (Lorentz Center for the Science), The Netherlands
· Jutta Weber (Philosophy, Braunschweig / Vienna)

Committee: best PhD /post-doc paper awards (including bursaries)
Chair: Johnny Søraker (Twente)

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Presidential Address: Tony Beavers, "Is Ethics Computable, or What Other than Can Does Ought Imply?"
Covey Lifetime Achievement Award: Terrill (Terry) Ward Bynum, Professor of Philosophy at Southern Connecticut State University; Director of the Research Center on Computing & Society
Additional keynote to be announced.

Conference Theme, "The Computational Turn: Past, Presents, Futures?"

In the West, philosophical attention to computation and computational devices is at least as old as Leibniz. But since the early 1940s, electronic computers have evolved from a few machines filling several rooms to widely diffused - indeed, ubiquitous - devices, ranging from networked desktops, laptops, smartphones and "the internet of things." Along the way, initial philosophical attention - in particular, to the ethical and social implications of these devices (so Norbert Wiener, 1950) - became sufficiently broad and influential as to justify the phrase "the computational turn" by the 1980s. In part, the computational turn referred to the multiple ways in which the increasing availability and usability of computers allowed philosophers to explore a range of traditional philosophical interests - e.g., in logic, artificial intelligence, philosophical mathematics, ethics, political philosophy, epistemology, ontology, to name a few - in new ways, often shedding significant new light on traditional issues and arguments.  Simultaneously, computer scientists, mathematicians, and others whose work focused on computation and computational devices often found their work to evoke (if not force) reflection and debate precisely on the philosophical assumptions and potential implications of their research.  These two large streams of development - especially as calling for necessary interdisciplinary dialogues that crossed what were otherwise often hard disciplinary boundaries - inspired what became the first of the Computing and Philosophy (CAP) conferences in 1986 (devoted to Computer-Assisted Instruction in philosophy).

Since 1986, CAP conferences have grown in scope and range, to include a bewildering array of intersections between computation and philosophy as explored across a global range of cultures and traditions. In keeping with what has now become a significant tradition, IACAP'11 will accept presentations across this array and range. At the same time, in order to recognize and celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the CAP conferences, we specifically encourage submissions that include attention to the past, present(s), and possible future(s) of their foci as expressions of this computational turn.

SUBMISSION
Authors should submit an electronic version of an extended abstract (total word count approximately 1000 words). The file should also contain a 350 word abstract that will be used for the conference web site/booklet. Each abstract should indicate a first choice for the track to which it is submitted, as well as a second choice for track. Submission details will follow in a separate post. Tracks are listed below.

PROGRAM
The conference is interdisciplinary: we invite papers from philosophy, computer science, robotics, engineering sciences, social sciences and related disciplines. Papers can address one (or more) of a range of topics at the conceptual crossroads between philosophy and computation, including: biocomputing, AI, logic, cognition, ontology, knowledge systems, simulations, robotics, affective computing, epistemology, information ethics (including robot ethics), history, and cultural perspectives on these. IACAP'11 will promote scholarly dialogues on all aspects of this computational & informational turn of society and the use of computers and robots in the service of philosophy.

RELEVANT RESEARCH AREAS
We call for papers that cover topics pertaining to computing and philosophy from the following list (but not restricted to that list):
· Information and Knowledge Processing (Distributed Processing, Emergent Properties, Formal Ontology, Network Structures, etc.)
· Philosophy of Computer Science
· Robotics, AI, and Ambient Intelligence
· Human-Machine Interaction and Explanation Capabilities
· Philosophy of Information Technology
· Neurocomputing and the Problem of Consciousness
· Computational Linguistics
· Computer-based Learning and Teaching Strategies and Resources
· The Impact of Distance Learning on the Teaching of Philosophy and Computing
· IT, Cultural Diversity and Technoscience Studies
· Information and Computing Ethics, including Robot Ethics
· Biocomputing, Artificial Life, Systems Biology
· Electronic Art
· Complexity and Emergence
· Imaging and Knowledge
· New Models of Logic Software
· Models & Simulations Epistemology
· Synthetic emotions
· Computer & Gender Studies
 
TRACKS
I. Philosophy of Computer Science
Chair: Raymond Turner (School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, University of Essex)

II. Philosophy of Information and Cognition
Chair: Orlin Vakarelov (University of Arizona)

III. Robotics, AI, and Cognitive Systems
Chair: [invitation out]

IV. Technosecurity: from Everyday Surveillance to Digital Warfare
Chair: Jutta Weber (Technische Universität Braunschweig)
Chair: [invitation out]

V. Information Ethics / Robot Ethics
Chair: John Sullins (Sonoma State University, CA)
Chair: Mark Coeckelbergh (Twente, the Netherlands)

VI. Multidisciplinary Perspectives
Chair: Jan van Leeuwn

VII. Computation, (Scandinavian) design, and aesthetics. 
Chair: [invitation out]

VIII. Social Computing
Chair: Gordana Dodig-Crnkovic (Mälardalen University, Sweden)
Chair: Judith Simon (Institut Jean Nicod (ENS), Paris)

IX. Computational Philosophy
Chairs: [invitations out]

X. IT, Culture and Globalization
Chair: Soraj Hongladarom (Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok)
Chair: Philip Brey (Twente)

XI: SIG Track - Minds and Machines
Chair: Marcello Guarini (University of Windsor, Canada)